WO2009155679A2

WO2009155679A2 - Guides of sliding shelves for refrigerators

Info

Publication number: WO2009155679A2
Application number: PCT/BR2009/000187
Authority: WO
Inventors: Valkíria Pedri FIALKOWSKI; Rafael Amaral Alonso Lopes; Jacques Edouard De Holanda Miranda; Rodrigo Telles Wolff
Original assignee: Electrolux Do Brasil S.A
Priority date: 2008-06-26
Filing date: 2009-06-26
Publication date: 2009-12-30
Also published as: BRMU8802268U2; WO2009155679A3; BRMU8802268Y1

Abstract

This application concerns guides of sliding shelves for refrigerators, no-ticeably those employed in the freezing compartment, referred to as "freezer", which provide guidance to the displacement of shelves along two rails of lateral direction, which enable hiding, coupling and collapsing of the shelves, freeing internal space in the refrigerator for other uses. Such lateral guidance rails are located in the internal case of the refrigerator and are individual for each shelf. The rail of the front shelf extends under the rear shelf, so as to induce the displacement of the front shelf under the rear shelf, performing the grouping of the shelves by coupling them through a back fitting. Thus, the conformation of the inferior rail allows the front shelf, now allocated below the rear shelf, to couple to the superior shelf and, together are collapsed to a vertical position, occupying a significantly smaller space and allowing to allocate the shelves in three distinct posi-tions, being extended, retracted and collapsed.

Description

GUIDES OF SLIDING SHELVES FOR REFRIGERATORS

Field of Application

This utility model belongs to the field of mechanical engineering, of the household appliance devices and relates to guides of sliding shelves for refrigerators, noticeably those employed in the freezing compartments, commonly known as "freezer". Background of the invention Seeking solutions for the rational use of internal space, manufacturers of household appliance devices, more specifically of domestic refrigerators, make efforts to evolve in the concepts of usable space increase and adaptability.

The use of shelves in refrigerators has for objective to provide additional spaces for stowage of items to be refrigerated, enabling maximization of the use of space. That approach, however, limits the use of internal space to items of dimensions compatible with the distance between shelves, often conflicting with larger items which require additional space, and which presence is not always frequent. Thus, it is intended to develop shelves that can be moved, allowing clear- ance of internal space according to the user's needs. Therefore, detachable shelves arise as a first option, but present the disadvantage of requiring stowage outside the refrigerator when not in use, which is not always desirable due to convenience matters and even hygiene. The step below has originated the promotion of swing-out shelves which are physically divided into two halves, front and rear. Traditionally, the front part slides in side rails for support and guidance of a single and straight way, pushed by the user against the rear part. That horizontal motion forces the displacement of the rear part up, situating on the front sliding section. The latter, on the other hand, fits in guides located under the rear section and is inserted under it, forming a set that can be collapsed to the vertical position, clearing space. The shelves can be returned to their initial position by means of the inverse operation, pulling the set until the extended position. The difficulty presented by this embodiment is that the operation demands a certain effort on the displacement of the front shelf, so as to enable displacement of the back shelf. Additionally, that operation is noisy since the displacement of the back shelf does not occur without a slight roughness. Analysis of the state of the art Document US5199778 discloses a shelf device for refrigerators which allows allocation of shelves for stowing food in different levels, with system for adjustment of the shelves in a way that they can adapt to the size of food on the vertical direction, but diverges substantially in the nature and characteristics of the movements involved in the present utility model, not conflicting with the inventive aspects concerned.

Document US6220682 demonstrates a system of shelves for refrigerators which includes a wide range of shelves having opposite sides and are placed side by side inside the refrigerator and assembled so as to possess a selective movement in the longitudinal directions between the retractile po- sition, but foresees the retractile displacement e, therefore, is departed from the inventive aspects of said shelves.

Document US5454638 describes a system of adjustable shelves for refrigerators, including a shelf rail for shelves to support partial width. Although the objective of the invention is to slide shelves onto a rail, the nature of the movements and the conception of the rails do not conflict with the inventive aspects concerned.

Document US5299863 reports a refrigerator with internal sliding frames containing a sliding unit within it in the form of many shelves. The inven- tive aspects concerned are not of use because they move the whole set of shelves at once.

Brief description of the invention

The invention concerns guides of sliding shelves for freezers, which pro- vide guidance to the displacement of shelves along two trails of lateral direction, allowing for hiding, coupling, and collapsing of the shelves, freeing internal space in the refrigerator for other purposes. Description of the figures Figure 1 describes a perspective view of the shelves in normal extended position.

Figure 2 discloses a perspective view of the shelves in retracted position. Figure 3 demonstrates a perspective view of the shelves in bounced position. Figure 4 unveils a schematic drawing in lateral view of the shelves, demon- strating details of the movement of sliding, hiding, coupling and collapsing. Figure 5 foresees a schematic drawing in lateral view of the shelves, demonstrating details of the movement of sliding, hiding, coupling and collapsing. Figure 6 presents a schematic drawing in lateral view of the shelves, dem- onstrating details of the movement of sliding, hiding, coupling and collapsing.

Detailed description of the invention

This utility model concerns guides of hiding and collapsible shelves (IA) by means of independent guidance rails (3A) fastened to the internal box, improving its functionality and use.

This system allows to allocate the shelves (IA) in three different positions, being extended (IA), retracted (2A) and collapsed (3B), according to the user's needs, their movement and fittings smoother when compared to similar products, because differently from actual devices, it employs differentiated and individual guidance rails (3A) for each shelf. Such system also allows the utilization of unframed glass shelves. The system proposed in this utility model significantly differs from the state of the art by using an innovative composition of said sliding and guidance rails. Said rails are comprised by a horizontal line with two inclinations (3C) in angles of approximately 45°, corresponding to the position of the mounting parts located at the side edges of the front shelf (IA). Such inclinations allow the front shelf to be displaced vertically in relation to the original position when it is pushed against the rear shelf (IB), sliding under the rear shelf (IB) and coupling to a fitting in the back section of the rear shelf (IB), forming a set (2A).

The aforementioned set (2A) is articulated with the guidance rail (3A) at the back end, and can be collapsed and placed in vertical position (3B) for clearance of internal space.

The functioning of that sliding and articulation system can be better understood at the sequence of Figure 4, in which the shelf can be seen in the initial idle state with locking (4A) being displaced (4B) to unlock the front phi and the subsequent sliding of the pins along the grooves of the mechanism (4C), up to locking spot at the end of the course.

At this moment, the front part is coupled to the rear part and inserted precisely into the same shaft, which enables simultaneous rotation of the parts, as illustrated in Figure 5. By sliding the front part of the shelf up to the bottom of the mechanism located at the side wall of the freezer, the sliding pin will be located on the same shaft of the rear part of the shelf, allowing simultaneous rotating movement of the two parts.

After coupling the front part of the shelf to the rear part, the set can be tilted until it is close to the rear wall of the internal case of the freezer, as shown in Figure 6. A wider angle than 90° allows the shelf to remain tilted freeing space in the freezer.

That mechanism is intended to flex the space of the product, whether in the freezer or in the refrigerator, taking into account ease of access, which is provided by the mechanism of sliding guides in corresponding grooves. The mechanism of sliding guides is found in a plastic part separated from the body of the shelf, which is fitted and/or fastened to the side of the internal case of the product. This utility model is not limited to the embodiments commented or illus- trated herein, and it shall be understood in its wide scope. Many modifications and other embodiments of the innovation will occur to those skilled in the art to which the present utility model belongs, with the benefit of the teaching presented in the previous descriptions and attached drawings. In addition, it is to be understood that the utility model is not limited the spe- cific form revealed, and that modifications and other forms are understood as included within the scope of the attached claims.

Although specific terms are employed herein, they are only used generically and descriptively and not for limitation purposes.

Claims

1. Guides for sliding shelves (IA) for refrigerators characterized by comprising independent guidance rails (3A) which contain inclinations at the front and intermediate sections (3C), in positions corresponding to the mounting parts of the sliding shelf, which induce the descending vertical movement of the front shelf (IA); said guides have constructive aspects so as to allow articulation of the set of associated shelves and the collapsing of the set of associated shelves in an angle wider than 90°.